Final answer:
On the battlefield, soldiers commonly suffered from severe physical injuries, including those necessitating amputation and prosthetic limbs, and psychological issues like shell shock, which is now known as PTSD. Diseases such as malaria also significantly affected military forces, requiring substantial medical resources to treat and prevent.
Step-by-step explanation:
Two common medical problems that existed on the battlefield included physical injuries and psychological trauma. On the Western Front during World War I, the immense number of casualties and the trench warfare conditions led to widespread physical wounds requiring plastic surgery, and in more severe cases, amputation and the use of prosthetic limbs.
Moreover, soldiers faced severe psychological issues, including shell shock, known today as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Symptoms ranged from mild tremors to severe problems such as flashbacks and loss of reality, often requiring long-term care and rehabilitation.
Aside from combat injuries, diseases like malaria posed a significant problem on the battlefield, impacting combat readiness and requiring extensive medical logistics to manage. The treatment and prevention of malaria were critical in several campaigns during World War II, highlighting the importance of disease management in military planning.